METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AN OPERATING UNIT FOR A HOME APPLIANCE

• US 20130229492A1
• Filed: 03/05/2013
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: EGO Elektro-Gerã¤Tebau GmbH (EGO Blanc und Fischer & Company GmbH)
• Original Assignee: EGO Elektro-Gerã¤Tebau GmbH (EGO Blanc und Fischer & Company GmbH)
• Inventors: Ose, Lutz, Jungbauer, Markus
• Application Number:
  US13/785,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20130229492A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/46
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/08 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/065 for lighting purposes

Abstract

An offset operating unit for a home appliance includes a camera, an evaluation unit which evaluates picture data generated by the camera for recognition of an operating gesture from a predefined set of operating gestures, wherein the operating gestures serve for operator control of the home appliance, wherein the home appliance includes a control device for function control spaced apart from the operating unit, an interface for wireless data transmission between the operating unit and the control device, wherein information regarding the recognized operating gesture is transmitted to the control device via the interface in a wireless manner, and a housing in which the camera, the evaluation unit and the interface are integrated.

Claims

1. An offset operating unit for a home appliance comprising:

a camera;

an evaluation unit which evaluates picture data generated by the camera for recognition of an operating gesture from a predefined set of operating gestures, wherein the operating gestures serve for operator control of the home appliance, wherein the home appliance comprises a control device for function control spaced apart from the operating unit;

an interface for wireless data transmission between the operating unit and the control device, wherein information regarding the recognized operating gesture is transmitted to the control device via the interface in a wireless manner; and

a housing in which the camera, the evaluation unit and the interface are integrated.

2. The operating unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

an energy supply unit for generating operational energy for the operating unit from an alternating magnetic field generated externally.

3. The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein:

the operating unit comprises a controllable illuminant, wherein the evaluation unit synchronizes the illuminant and the camera.

4. The operating unit according to claim 3, wherein:

the evaluation unit synchronizes the camera and a controllable illuminant provided externally in relation to the operating unit.

5. The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein:

the housing comprises a support device by means of which the operating unit is fixable to a housing of the home appliance, a cooktop or an extractor hood.

6. The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein:

the camera is a two-dimensional (2D) camera or a three-dimensional (3D) camera.

7. The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein:

the interface is an infrared interface, a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) interface, or a Bluetooth interface.